The document discusses effective headline writing backed by 15 years of behavioral research, focusing on principles that enhance conversion rates. Key discoveries include prioritizing customer benefits, aligning with customer motivations, making strong points first, being clear rather than clever, and giving headlines graphical weight. It emphasizes that successful headlines are crucial for increasing subscription rates and engagement in marketing strategies.

1. How to Write Headlines That Convert:
Key discoveries from a meta-analysis of 15 years of behavioral research

2. We’re sharing on Twitter!
#WebClinic

3. #WebClinic
Today’s speakers
Austin McCraw
Senior Director,
Content Production
MECLABS Institute
Ben Filip
Vice President of
Partner Development,
MECLABS Institute

4. #WebClinic
What makes a headline effective??

5. #WebClinic
15 years of research
54%Conversion
330%Conversion
58%Conversion
109%Conversion
31%Conversion
124%Conversion
201%Conversion
29%Conversion
15%Conversion
100%Conversion
21%Conversion137%Conversion
63%Conversion
816%Conversion
91%Conversion
24%Conversion

6. Background: A survey company offering to pay its members to take surveys.
Goal: To increase the amount of home delivery subscriptions.
Research Question: Which panelist registration page will have a higher conversion
rate?
Test Design: Which page/process will generate the most subscriptions?
Experiment ID: TP1111
Record Location: MECLABS Research Library
Research Partner: (Protected)
Experiment: Background

7. The experiment
The original page had no headline. Due to high site traffic, the team was able to
test 10 different headlines.
Control Treatment

8. The Experiment: Headlines tested
Which headlines do you think generated the most response? The least??
ID# Headline Tested
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money!
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes!
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion
HL9
You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For
Your Opinions
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community

9. Ranking ID# Headline Tested CTR
% Rel.
Change
1 HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
2 HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
3 HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
4 HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
5 HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
6 HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
7 HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
8 HL9
You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For
Your Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
9 HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
10 HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Experiment: Results
WHY?

10. In today’s clinic, we will review five essential
discoveries about what makes a headline effective.
Today’s focus

11. Headlines that convert
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”

12. ID# Headline Tested CTR % Rel. Change
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
HL9
You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your
Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Focus first on what the customer “gets”
Top performing
headlines focus
on the “get”

13. [Newspaper Title]
Focus first on what the customer “gets”
To this
From this
The original headline is salesy and
jumps immediately to the offer.
The new headline eases customers
into the offer by prominently
featuring a 50% off trial.
24%
Conversion
[Newspaper]
Home Delivery
[Newspaper]
Home Delivery
[Newspaper Title]

14. Focus first on what the customer “gets”
To this
From this
The original headline reads like the
title of an academic article and
fails to focus the reader’s attention
on the “get.”
The new headline immediately lets
prospects know what they will “get”
for proceeding down the page.
331%
Conversion

15. To this
From this
The original headline asks customers to
complete a difficult form without first
orienting them or giving them a
compelling reason to do so.
The new headline better emphasizes
what customers “get” for signing up 816%
Conversion
Focus first on what the customer “gets”

16. Headlines that convert
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current
motivations.

17. ID# Headline Tested CTR % Rel. Change
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
HL9
You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your
Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Low performing
headlines ask too
much, too soon
Align headline with customer motivation

18. Align headline with customer motivation
To this
From this
91%In Guide
Downloads
The original headline assumes
that the customer is immediately
ready to start the buying process.
The new headline understands
that the customer is beginning a
longer process of research and
comparison shopping.
An [insurance advisor can help
you find the right plan for your
family

19. Align headline with customer motivation
The original headline promotes
access to over seven million SEC
filings, of which there are over a
hundred types.
This new headline focuses
specifically on annual reports, the
type of SEC filing that customers are
most motivated to download.
From this
To this
26%
Leads

20. Headlines that convert
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current
motivations.
3. Principle #3: Effective headlines make the strongest point first.

21. ID# Headline Tested CTR % Rel. Change
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
HL9
You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your
Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Make the strongest point first
Point-first
headlines

22. ID# Headline Tested CTR % Rel. Change
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
HL9
You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your
Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Point-last
headlines
Make the strongest point first

23. Make the strongest point first
To this
From this
The original headline
places the point, “lower
your payment,” in the
middle of the headline.
This new headline leads
with the point of value.
88%
Conversion

24. Headlines that convert
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current
motivations.
3. Principle #3: Effective headlines make the strongest point first.
4. Principle #4: Effective headlines seek to be clear, not clever.

25. ID# Headline Tested CTR % Rel. Change
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
HL9
You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For
Your Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Experiment: Results
Clear
Clear
Vague

26. ID# Headline Tested
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money!
HL9
You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and
Earn Rewards For Your Opinions
HL6
Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions
Count
Experiment: Results
What kind of account is
this? What do I have to
do to earn the money?
What kind of community
is this? What does it
mean to earn rewards for
my opinions?
How will my opinions
count? Opinions about
what?
Vague, Poorly Performing Headlines

27. Be clear, not clever
From this
The original headline utilizes a
creative ask, but lacks specificity
about the actual product.
This revised headline clearly
describes exactly what is being
offered.
To this
330%
Conversion

28. Be clear, not clever
The original headline asks an
empty, open-ended
question.
The new headline clearly
emphasizes specific points
of value, encouraging the
reader to continue down
the page.
From this
To this
103%
Conversion

29. Be clear, not clever
The original headline presents
the ask in the form of a vague
question, creating ambiguity
as to what specifically is being
offered.
The new headline clearly
states the purpose of the
offer, leaving no doubt as to
what service is being offered.
Does a sexual offender live your neighborhood?
Identify Registered Sex Offenders Living Near You
34%
Headline #1
Headline #2
From this
To this conversion

30. Headlines that convert
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current
motivations.
3. Principle #3: Effective headlines make the strongest point first.
4. Principle #4: Effective headlines seek to be clear, not clever.
5. Principle #5: Effective headlines are given graphical weight.

31. Give your headlines weight
Though the term “Dedicated
Servers” was used several
times in the existing headlines,
none of the instances
employed any distinct font
treatment or attention-getting
design.
This new headline utilizes more
prominent typography, clearly
establishing the credibility of the
company.
From this
To this
188%
Conversion

32. Give your headlines weight
The original headline is hard to
read, and the description is in
small font that is difficult to
read with the background
color.
This new headline possesses visual
weight, and is easily readable on
the page.
From this
To this
58%
Conversion

33. Summary of discoveries
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current
motivations.
3. Principle #3: Effective headlines make the strongest point first.
4. Principle #4: Effective headlines seek to be clear, not clever.
5. Principle #5: Effective headlines are given graphical weight.

34. Live Optimization

35. #WebClinic
MECLABS Live Optimization Webinar
Register and submit your page at www.meclabs.com/live-opt
Tune in on September 24 at 4 p.m. EDT
In this interactive webinar, you will:
• See how principles and takeaways from MECLABS behavioral
research (with over 20,000 path experiments) can be applied to real
websites and emails
• Offer interactive feedback on material submitted by fellow attendees
• Gain valuable advice for your own campaigns (if selected)

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Live Optimization: TremendousMaid.com
Primary Audience: B2B/B2C
Page Purpose: Direct bookings, lead
generation

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Live Optimization: CubSnacks.com
Primary Audience: Parents
Page Purpose: To sell individual or
subscription healthy snack boxes

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Live Optimization: Culligan Orlando
Primary Audience: B2C
Page Purpose: Lead gen

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